Car-coupling



(10 Model.) C. FERGSON ZSheets--Sheet 2.

` 4 CAR GOUPLING.

No. 281,479. Patented July 1?-, 1883.

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- al@ W' W nu W UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES'NV. FERGUSON, OF JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN.

CAR-COUPUNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 281,479, dated July 17,1883.

f f Application filed May 8,1883. (No model.)

The invention relates to freight-car couplers' ofthe class known asself-couplers, 7 in which' the coupling-link is disengaged by arodi-cony nection operated from the top of the car.

The objects of my improvements are, first, to provide a means wherebythe link-pin may be disengaged from the link to uncouple the cars, whilethe train is moving, by a positive downward movement from the top of thecar; second, to effect the same result by the same movement from theground when the cars are standing; third, to provide a means whereby thelink is prevented from accidental displacement 5 and, fourth, to providea means whereby the link is held in a proper straight centralv positionfor automatic coupling. I attain these objects by the deviceshereinafter set forth,

the accompanying drawings, in'

and shown in whichx i Figure l vrepresents a view in perspective of theend portion-ofa freight-car with my iniproved coupling device attached';Fig. 2, a longitudinal vertical central section tak en through thecoupled draw-heads; Fig. 3, a similar view taken through the draw-headsas in the act of uncoupling, and Fig. 4 a face view of the same.

The draw-heads A are made of a construction now commonly known, and areadapted to be pushed back against a cushion or spring,

a, within the buffer-box B, as shown, or in any suitable way. The innerbottom, b, is suitably inclined upward toward the fiat throat,

the mouth being similar to that of other coupling devices of this class.A slot, c, in the bottom of the draw-head, receives a couplingbar orlatch-piece, C, beveled or curved on its upper front edge, as at d, topermit the coupling-link e to pass over and drop behind it in the act ofcoupling. This coupling-bar (when at rest) projects a short distancebelow the bottom of the draw-head, sufficient for its connection with ayoke, D, as will be presently described, and has a notched seat foraplatespring, f, fastened to the bottom of the body A of the draw-head.From this yoke D a handle-rod, E, rises to the top of the car, and isheld to its proper position by staples d', at each'side and just abovethe draw-head, which, coming against the top horizontal portion of theyoke, limit the downward movement of the coupling-latch. d2 is anotherstaple for holding the handle in' a straight central position at the topof the car. The yoke D is also provided on each side with handles hV 7Lfor operating the coupling-bar from the ground, when desi-red. The linkc in the example shown has a solid center, and the buffer-body A issecured within the buffer-box B by cross-straps 'of metal Z at thebottom, and at the rear is formed a projection or stem, Z2, which passesthrough a holein the rear end of the bufferboX, `whereby said buffer hasa free movement against and away from the spring-cushion a, arranged atthe end of the buffer-box around the stem ZZ.

At the front botttom portion of the bufferhead is formed an enlargement,I, to form a box for the coupling-bar or latch-piece C, this beingnecessary in order to insure the requisite strength at this point. Thisenlargement I tapers or slants gradually at the front; but at the rearan abrupt straight shoulder is formed, as at i, which, upon forcing ofthe buffer backward, the fiat cross-strap Z, which confines thedraw-head within the boX,will receive the jar, thus preventing injury tothe edges of the cars, and preserving the springs in the boxes.

To aid in the manipulation of the rod E, in uncoupling, a lever, as atJ, fulcrumed at its middle portion, is secured to the top of the car andconnected to the end of said rod E. By lifting this lever the rod E isforced downward and the coupling-latch released from the link.

Transversely across the back interior portion of the mouth of thedraw-head is a bar or rod, K, secured at such distance from the bottomofthe throat th at the coupling-link will j ust fit beneath the same.The object of this pin or cross-bar is to form a means for holding thecoupling-link in an elevated position for coupling the cars as they areforced together, this being accomplished by slipping the couplinglink inthe mouth of the drawhead while the cars are separated, and forcing itback beneath the cross-bar. By this provision the liability of accidentsto the hands and arms of attendants, because of the usual handmanipulation of the coupling-link, is avoided. In order to still furtherinsure the proper elevation of the link, especially if a high ear bebrought to a low car, it is proposed to provide the coupling-link, atits bottom central portion, with a tapered or angular enlargement, as atc, which, resting upon the front portion of the mouth of the draw-head,will cause the link to be elevated at a proper angle to enter theapproaching draw-head.

To prevent the accidental displacement of the coupling-link,aplate-spring,L,is arranged within and against the top of the mouth ofthe draw-head, as shown, the end of which spring is made to curve upwardto avoid the entering link, and is so set as to just touch the top ofthelatch. By this means the coupling-link is effectually prevented fromescaping` over the end of the latch, except when the same is forceddownward below the throat of the draw-head.

To uncouple the cars while the train is in motion, the lever J israised, which presses rod E down positively, when the yoke D pulls downthe coupling pin or latch C, andthe link is released, as shown in Fig.3, which being done, the pin or latch C immediately resumes its normalposition, being forced up by the the action of spring f, as seen in Fig.2. As before described, this uncoupling may be effected from the groundby means of the side arms or handles, h h, attached to or integral withthe yoke on each side. The yoke is preferably passed through a hole inthe bottom part of the coupling-latch C loosely, so as not to interferewith the movement of the-drawhead and its parts.

rlhe advantages of this construction arc that the uncoupling is effectedby a positive downward movement, forced by hand or foot, thus renderingstoppage from collected snow or ice impossible. So, also,if the partsbethus clogged with snow or ice, the pin may be drawn up by force, shouldthe spring f fail to perform its office, and the construction is sosimple and the parts so few in a coupler of this class that a strongconstruction is possible and liability to breakage greatly lessened.

rIhe coupler may be adapted for use with ears of di'erent heights in anysuitable manner--as, for instance, by a bent link. It may also, as it isused with an ordinary link, be used when one of two coupled cars isprovided with my coupler and the other with the usual linkpin orcoupling-pin.

I claiml. The combination, with the draw-head, constructed with aflaring mouth having the upwardly-inclined bottom b and ilat throat andbottoni slot, c, and the coupling-pin C,beveled at its front edge, d, ofthe yoke D, having the j', yoke D, and bar or rod K, placed transverselyacross the interior of the mouth of the draw-head, and near the bottomthereof, for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination, with the buffer drawhead, constructed with a fiaringmouth and fiat throat, of the coupling-latch piece C, yoke D,plate-spring f, cross-bar K, and plate-spring L, as and for the purposesdescribed.

5. The combination, with the draw-head, constructedwith aflaring mouthandflat throat, coupling-latch pin C, plate-springf, and yoke D, andcross-bar K, of the at coupling-link e, having a solid 'central portionformed at its bottom, with a tapering projection or strengthening-piece,e', for the purposes specified.

6. The combination, with the draw-head with slot e, coupling-latch C,plate-springf, and yoke D, of the staples d', for holding the yoke inposition and limiting the movement of the coupling-latch, handled rod E,and lever J, as and for the purposes set forth andshown.

In testimony whereof I have-hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

CHARLES NV. FERGUSON.

Witnesses:

GEO. II. McCAUsEY, WILLIAM STREET.

